Plastic composition.



PATENT OFFICE,

UNITED STATES VAR-THUR EICHENGRUN, or BERLIN, GERMANY.

PLASTIC COMPOSITION.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR EIOHENGRiiN, Ph. D., of 87 Konstanzerstrasse,Berlin, in

the Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Plastic Compositions.

Whereas it is possible to mix with celluloid made from nitro-cellulose20-25% of solid celluloid-like material from acetyl cellulose in thicksheets or plates, an admixture of filling materials also acted veryunfavorably upon the thin celluloid-like sheets remaining afterevaporation of solutions'of acetyl cellulose containing camphor or cam-I phor substitutes, since the addition of even I loid-like character,vorby replacing the cam-. phor substitutes proper with softening adlessthan 25% of filling materials rendered these sheets brittle.

Now it has been found possible to obtain from acetyl cellulose andfilling materials a new material having very valuable technicalproperties, by adding to the acetyl cellulose a larger amount of camphorsubstitutes than is necessary for producing the cellumixtures and thenadding not only 20-25%- of filling materials, as is the case withcelluloid, but larger amounts of same. In this process the excessiveplasticity and ductility produced by the camphor substitutes or thesoftening admixtures is compensated by the amount of the hardeningfilling materials, and a new product is produced whichis essentiallydifferent from celluloid mixed with filling materials. Whereas namely,it is only at temperatures over 100 degrees centigrade that the latter sftens sufficiently to be capable of being pressed in molds, blown orstamped, the new material already softens at about 75 degreescentigrade. Whereas celluloid plates or sheets have to be cooled whileunder pressure and must be cooled directly after molding, the newmaterial retains, without further treatment, the form given to it whilehot. 7

While celluloid, especially in making molded or pressed articles, mustbe submitted to very high pressure, for instance, in a lever press, thenew material can be Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed August 1, 1910. Serial NO; 574.969.

worked under very slight pressure, and nevertheless shows the details ofthe mold more clearly than the highly heated celluloid molded under highpressure. i

A further advantage of the new material consists in the low cost ofproduction. Whereas with celluloid, as mentioned above, only a fractionof its own Weight of filling material can be added, acetyl cellulose inthe presence of softening admixtures can easily be mixed with twice Oreven four times lts own amount of filling material without making themass brittle, consequently the cost of production of the latter isseveral times less than that of acetyl cellulose.

I will explain my process by means of the following example: One kiloacetyl cellulose is mixed with 300 grams acetyl methyl anilid and 300grams of ethylester of lactic acid, one kilo alcohol and one kilo ofbenzene is added and the whole heated to 70 degrees centigrade. Aftersolution 2 kilos zinc white are admixed and the resulting viscous massis poured out onto a fiat surface. The mass solidifies at Once to ahomogeneous sheet or plate, which when quite dry assumes the form of asolid celluloid-like material of great plasticity, and possessing theafore-mentioned properties.

Instead of the mixture mentioned, coldacting solvents may be employed,the troublesome formation of bubbles during the evaporation of acetylcellulose solutions being prevented by the presence of the large amountof filling material, and thick homogeneous plates also can be producedby means of easily volatile solutions such as acetone. In the samemanner the filling material can be worked directly with the acetate andthe admixtures with or without the presence of solvents, into ahomogenetity ofadmixtures required for the produc- A tion of such a massis counteracted by the amount of the filling material. Finely powderedsubstances of all kinds, such as 1nineral-, metal-, vegetable powders,graphite, lamp black and the like, can be employed as filling materials.

The amount of the softening admixture or camphor substitute requireddepends on the nature of the filling material used and also upon thecharacter of the final material which is to be obtained. Whenspeakin'gof the final character of the material to be obtained I do notrefer to the solid mass nor the celluloid-like character but to variousother characteristics or qualities which it is desirable to impart tothe material acfield of uses for which hitherto rubber,

celluloid, soft metal or the like have been employed, as for instancefor the production of packing material, electric insulating ma-. terial,heat insulating and the like materials.-

The new mass can further be used for the production of piano keys,hollow bodies, receptacles, hoods and coverings, or platings for wood,metal, paper and the like foundations, or the material may be blown intothe shape of dolls, animals and the like toys.

'What I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. Acomposition of matter consisting of a celluloid-like material which atan ordinary or room temperature is perfectly hard but is capable whenheated of being blown and worked into articles of use comprising acetylcellulose together with filling materials in quantities essentially over25 per cent. of the weight of the acetyl cellulose, there beingincorporated with the mass asmuch of softening admixtures as isrequired'by the nature of the filling material employed. d 7

2. A composition of matter consisting of a celluloid-like material'whichat an ordinary or room temperature is perfectly hard but is capable whenheated of being blown and Worked into articles of use comprising acetylcellulose together with filling materials in quantities essentially over100 per cent. of the weight of the acetyl cellulose,

there being incorporated with the mass as much of softening admixturesas isrequired by the nature of the filling material employed. v V In'testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR EICHENGRUN.

Witnesses: WALDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER.

